These are seriously the best vegan mashed potatoes! I’ve been making mashed potatoes using this method since I first went vegan and everyone, vegans and non-vegans alike, always loves them. The secret ingredient? Cashews.
I remember the first Thanksgiving after I went vegan in 2016. No one else in my family was vegan so I was determined to make a delicious feast that tasted even better than the non-vegan food everyone else was eating. I decided to use cashew cream in place of milk in the mashed potatoes. Cashew cream is super rich and creamy and truly makes the best vegan mashed potatoes!
The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes
This recipe is super simple to make. First, I peel and cut the potatoes and get them boiling. While they’re cooking, I blend up the cashew cream. Then, I drain the potatoes and add them to a mixing bowl. In the same pot I used to boil the potatoes, I add some butter, the cashew cream, salt/pepper, and mix it up. I cook the mixture for a few minutes and it becomes the creamiest, most delicious addition to mashed potatoes!
The best vegan mashed potatoes are:
- Creamy
- Buttery
- Rich
- Decadent
- Filling
- Dairy-Free
Ingredients for the Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes:
- Cashews: Cashews are the MVP of this recipe. Make sure to use raw, unsalted cashews. I blend them with water to make cashew cream, but for a nut-free option, you can use any plant milk instead.
- Potatoes: Yukon Golds are typically said to be the best potatoes for mashed potatoes, but you can use any type!
- Vegan Butter: Any brand of vegan butter will work for this recipe. I used the Country Crock with avocado oil. I add about 4 tablespoons to the initial cashew cream mixture, plus a little more when mashing.
- Salt/Pepper: I use 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
How to Make the Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes:
First, peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks. This recipe uses 2.5 pounds of potatoes, about half of a normal sized 5 pound bag. The potatoes I used weren’t very large so I only had to cut them each in half. After they’re peeled and cut, rinse them in cold water. Next, add them to a large pot and cover with water. Add enough water so it covers them by about an inch. Sprinkle some salt into the water and turn the heat to high until the potatoes are boiling.
Once boiling, cook for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender enough to easily mash with a fork. Drain, and add them to a mixing bowl. Mash them up slightly with a potato masher or fork.
While the potatoes are boiling, make the cashew cream. It’s optional to soak the cashews ahead of time for a few hours (or boil them for 10 minutes) before adding them to the blender. I’m lazy so I never do this, and it always turns out fine, even with my super old blender! I especially don’t feel it’s necessary for this recipe, because the texture of the potatoes will hide any sort of texture from the cashew cream. However, if you prefer super smooth cashew cream with no bumps in it and don’t have a high-powered blender, feel free to pre soak or boil them!
To a blender, add 1 cup of raw, unsalted cashews and ½ cup of water. Blend for about thirty seconds.
In the same pot you used to boil the potatoes, add the butter, cashew cream, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously. You’ll want to remove the mixture from the heat before it starts to simmer, as you don’t want the cashew cream to form a film or stick to the pan. If the mixture starts to simmer, remove the pot from the heat.
Add the cashew cream to the mixing bowl with the potatoes, and mash them up! Taste and add additional butter, salt, and pepper as needed.
The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks.
- 1 cup cashews raw, unsalted
- 4-5 tbsp vegan butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Water to cover the potatoes and for blending the cashew cream
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Rinse with cold water, then add to a large pot. Cover with water, enough to sit about one inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil, and boil for about 25 minutes, until they're tender enough to be easily mashed with a fork.
- Make the cashew cream. To a blender, add the cashews and ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth, for about 30 seconds. You can presoak the cashews ahead of time, but it's not required.
- Once the potatoes are done boiling, drain them and add them to a large mixing bowl. You can mash them a little bit at this step, but most of the mashing will be done once the cashew cream is added.
- To the same pot you used to boil the potatoes, add 4 tbsp of butter (or more!), the cashew cream, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to medium high and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously. If the mixture starts to simmer, remove it from the heat. We just want to heat it up and get everything mixed together, without cooking it too much to prevent the cashew cream from forming a film or sticking to the pot. After about 3-5 minutes, remove it from the heat.
- Add the cashew cream mixture to the potatoes and mash until it reaches the desired smoothness. I like to add a little more butter at this step as well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Notes
This post was all about how to make the best vegan mashed potatoes.
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